Upper for boots and shoes



(No Model.)

H. THOMPSON, Upper for Boots and Shoes.-

No. 237,638. Patented Feb; a, 188i.

Wilqasses. Irp/aqlnl f aha 13; m y y M N PETERS, PfloTmLlTnosmPnzn, WASHINGTON. D C

UNITED STATES PATENT FFIQE.

HENRY Gr. THOMPSON, OF MILFORD, CONNECTICUT.

UPPER FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,638, dated February 8, 1881.

Application filed December 28, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, HENRY G. THOMPSON, of Milford, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented Improvements in Uppers for Boots and Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanyin g drawings, is a specification.

This invention in uppers for boots and shoes has for its object to facilitate the even crimp ing of the toe of the upper in the lasting-machine.

When the toe of the upper is being lasted in a lasting-machine by jaws which close in and gather the upper about the toe of the last and lay it over on the inner sole, a large number of plaits or crimps are formed in front of the acting edge of the jaws. These plaits or crimps are formed unevenly, some very much larger than others, and the larger ones have usually to be cut. off by a chisel or knife before the toe-lastingjaws can be fully closed, or else the edges of the upper at the toe, in front of the edges of the jaws, have to be pulled evenly by pinchers.

In machine-lasting it is a great desideratum to be able to start the toe-lasting jaws forward toward the shoe and move them rapidly and to their full extent before they are stopped; but to do this with safely the toe of the upper must be so treated to insure an even and uniform laying of the crimps or plaits. I have ascertained by practice that the crimps or plaits will form evenly if the toe of the upper is corrugated before or after it is applied to the last, but before the jaws of the lasting machine come in contact with it.

Myinvention therefore consists in an upper as an improved article of manufacture, it having its toe end corrugated to define the crimps or plaits to be made by the toe-lasting jaws when closed together.

This invention is especially applicable in the class of machines patented to myself and J. W. Hatch, to which reference may be had.

Prior to this my invention it had been customary to notch or cut out the edges of the upperaboutthe toe to enable thetoe to belasted smoothly and furnish a solid smooth surface against which the outer sole could be closely laid and secured.

I am also aware that it has been proposed to corrugate thelower straight edge of a. heelstiffener to enable such edge to be turned over or flanged evenly when being run through a machine for making heel-stiffenin gs.

Figure 1 represents, in plan view, a shoeupper made in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is a front edge view thereof.

The upper a, ofany usual shape, has its front or toe-covering end run between a pair of fluted rollers, to form in the said edge the series of corrugations b radiatii'ig toward the center of the upper, so that when the toe of the upper is laid over on the inner sole at the toe of the last the toe-lastingjaws, in closing together, will cause the crimps or plaits to form on the lines defined bythe fluting-rollers, thus producing a series of crimps all of equal size at the toe of the lasted shoe, forming a smooth firm seat for the outer sole, and enabling the latter to be secured to the upper closely. When the toe of the upper is fully crimped on the last the adjacent edges 2 3 of the flutes b come substantially together.

I claim- As an improved article of manufacture to facilitate machine-lasting, an upper corrugated or fluted about its toe, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY G. THOMPSON.

WVitnesses G. W. GREGORY, L. F. OoNNoR. 

